Demo Up

No, unfortunately I'm waiting to get some funds to buy a gyro and tail servo, and also trying to decide which ones to get. The greater my aspirations for those key parts, the longer my horizon gets. Hmmm.... I'll let you all know when I get them, hopefully won't be too long. I'm looking at the Logitech 2100 and Futaba 9257. Mike at www.ka-planes.com has a combo that he's selling for $150, which is $10 saved over buying each at full retail price... decision decisions.

My Shark 450 comes tomorrow. Christmas time in March!

stanza

Definitely looks like you get a lot of machine for the money that you spend on this kit. My only concern would be the availability of spare parts. I'm done spending money on anything that I can't rebuild due to a lack of available spare parts. Having said that, it still looks like a pretty good deal though.

Yaquisports

Have you had a chance to take it into your LHS to see what isn't compatible with trex 450?

chuter1

Hi Demo Up, I'm working on my Hone 450 I just got yesterday. I am also impresed with the quality for the money, a great kit. Can you PLEASE post a better pic of the STUPID anti-rotation bracket? I can't quite make it out in you pics or Steve's website. Foward? backward?. which holes you used? Everything I can see is Trex 450 compatible, this is a real bargain!!![8D]

Yaquisports

Chuter1,
Will you be checking to see if the Hone really is fully compatible with Trex? Did you get the 003 also?

Demo Up

Sorry for the delay, guys. I'm going to my LHS to pick up my tail servo probably tomorrow (I looking to use the Spektrum DSP75 with my Telebee gyro that I've ordered), I'll ask then about the compatibility, but I'm not sure they're going to know without trial and error, you know? You can't really tell sometimes until you try, and see the 1mm variations...

Chuter1, if you didn't get the anti-rotation bracket to work, just let me know. In words instead of pics (my camera doesn't like closeups): First, take apart the guide, removing the post from the bottom bracket. Re-attach the post to the inside of the bracket, instead of the outside. Then mount it to the airframe using the two rear-most holes, with the opening in the bottom bracket facing the rear of the chopper. That provides good room for the anti-rotation pin to ride inside in the post. Unfortunately, I haven't tried it yet with a servo, so I'm still worried that the bracket might interfere with servo arm travel upwards. We'll see. Please let me know if you get it to work in a different orientation.

What swash servos, tail servo and gyro are you using?

chuter1

Hello DemoUp. After several e-mails to Steve, he sent me a pic of the bracket in a heli. showing the location a bit better. My kit came with the upright portion bolted in the small side of the bracket, so I assumed that was correct. I'm still not so sure. Anyway, his picture shows the upright in the rear and the bracket mounted in the two FOWARD holes and the servo arm mounted about 30 degrees below center. This works pretty well, but still binds on full up cyclic. I am using Tower Pro 9gr. servos all round and a Align 500 gyro. I have been working on this set-up for a few evenings and am still not satisfied. One thing I did discover; unlike a lot of true Trex clones, not all Align parts are interchangable on this bird. Feathering and main shafts are different, but Align parts can be made to work. If you take your feathering shaft to your LHS, they won't be able to help you. It is a threaded shaft like E-Sky's King , but smaller. Anyway, to quote Clint Eastwood in Heartbreak Ridge, " you improvise, you overcome, you adapt ". This is still a good deal for the money, but for Trex clones, I like my Gulang a LOT better. For 30 dollars more it's a RTF right out of the box, assembled with TX and battery! Have fun.

Yaquisports

Chuter1,
How does your Gulang fly? I am looking at that model RTF or CopterX but the copterX is almost $100 more. Is the Gulang fully compatible with the trex other than the frame? They are telling me that it is.

Demo Up

Yaqi, I can't for the life of me figure out how I'm supposed to mount the servos. What did you use? The T-rex 450SA manual talks about that heli coming with "servo mounting plates" that the servos bind to when they go through the holes in the aluminum frame. I think that's what this heli needs! I just came from my LHS, and they said they couldn't help me. They said I could try hex bolts and lock nuts, but the frame is so tight I don't think I'd ever be able to hold them to torque them down. I'm emailing Steve right now, please let me know what you did. Thnx.

chuter1

Hey guys, I'm not sure how far along you are, but I got the Hone to fly, with a lot of effort. On the note from DemoUp about the servos, I used Tower Pro 9gr. just like the Trex, but they were so tight in the frame holes I actually had to remove the labels and then used self tapping screws. No matter what combo I tried with the anti-rotation bracket, it will still bind on full cyclic, but since I don't do
3D, I'll live with it. Overall, just OK for the money, and I like my Gulang more every day!!!! Waiting for my buddy to get his Copter X, which I'm now hoping it more like the Gulang than the Hone. I don't know, maybe the other models are better. Mine is the 003.

Demo Up

Thanks, Chuter. One very important question, when you say "bind", is the servo arm hitting the bottom of the a-r bracket, or is the pin binding inside the post? I suspect that the design doesn't give the arm enough room to move, causing the bind. Is this correct? Thnx.

chuter1

Right, Steve sent me a pic, of a bird with the servos installed, showing the servo arm mounted at 30 degrees below center and the mounting of the a-r bracket in the two FRONT holes. Better but still hits the bracket on full cyclic.

Demo Up

Bracket interference working solution: I followed what's in the picture, but went ahead and moved it all the way to the rear two holes. This allows the most room for the servo arm to swing up, which doing a quick check appears to give over 45 degrees of upward swing using a thin arm, which I guess is plenty. Now I just need to extend the guide pin. So tomorrow I'm going to go and get a 1" hex bolt to use in place of the 5/8" hex bolt, and try to find a short section of metal tubing to use to extend the sheath over the bolt. Hopefully this will work. I'll post my results.

chuter1

Hey Demo, I have been going over this problem with Steve and the Mfg. the last two days. We are probably going to a lot of trouble for nothing. Like I explained to Steve, unless you do some serious 3D, the lack of servo travel might not cause a problem. In any case , I tried to find another a-r bracket that would work, but had no luck. The Trex design is beautiful and addresses the clearance but since the Hone frame is about a quarter inch narrower, I couldn't adapt it. I have been flying mine all day without incident. Your idea to extend the pin might work, but the Mfg. should have figured this out already. You could also shorten all your swash linkages and play with the short liks to get enough pitch, but that's not right. It should work as designed. Have fun.

heliaction

FWIW have you look at [link=http://helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=11373]these[/link] vids.

Demo Up

Chuter, what I'm worried about is having to use the severe down angle that you report, still not having full positive pitch, and then not to be able to get hardly any negative pitch. You'd need negative for use in doing "light" 3D such as barrel rolls and flips, which is what I wanted to do with the heli. I'm afraid that if neutral stick is at 30 degrees downangle, then you'll quickly run out of room for more down angle to create negative pitch (the arm'll move horizontal versus vertical, and not in proportion with the forward two arms. I agree with you in that as long as you don't look for negative pitch, you should be fine, but the heli is marketed as "full 3d capable", so not many people will buy it if you can't get full positive and negative pitch out of the design.

chuter1

Agreed DemoUp. But when I set my bracket as per the photo I got from Steve, I have no problem with binding of the pin, just lack of clearance for the servo arm at full up cyclic. I tried to adapt a Align a-r bracket yesterday with no luck, the Hone frame is too narrow. I have been flying it now for three days and it's fine for my precision flying, but you are right, it should perform as the mfg. advertises, which is 3D. The other problem we discussed was the parts availability, or rather lack of it. Steve realizes he won't get many sales without parts support and he's seems frustrated with the mfg. Still, bottom line for me, full CNC,{and red just happens to be my color} 170.00, I'm OK with the bird. I would really suggest you take a look at the Gulang or Century as it's called on E-Bay. My friend and I each bought one {240.00 shipped to your door} and we couldn't be happier. Totally , completely RTF. The TX is awesome.

Yaquisports

You bought the Gulang for $240 RTF? Is it the full metal head one?

chuter1

No Yaquisports, I did the CNC parts myself, but it was RTF and did right out of the box, the CNC is for looks and not as easy to tweak!. But a great value, all electronics, brushless, HH gyro, 2200mah battery and a terrific CCPM TX that is adjustable on the face. My buddy bought one at the same time, we both love them. Completely Trex parts compatible. LHS carries everything. I am using the 325mm plastic blades from XMSeller on E-Bay. 6.99!! You should try them, they were perfectly balanced, track well and are colorful.[sm=spinnyeyes.gif]

Demo Up

Here's a picture of my fix. I think it'll work just fine, it looks like it will. Gives a lot more room for the arm, being in the back holes and all. I used a 2mm x 25mm hex bolt, with a lock washer and regular 2mm nut holding the metal ball and pin. I'll let you know how it goes.

Yaquisports

What radio controller did the gulang come with? 6 channel Wfly? I am looking at that model with aluminum head or copterx.

chuter1

Yes Yaqi, the Gulang came with a Wfly six channel CCPM and I love it for it's simplicity and ease of adjustment. I am looking into getting another for a Trex Xl. About 100.00 shipped from China. It can also be used for any other kind of aircraft. One of the other Gulang models has a 9 channel computer radio, and one even has a simple 2.4 ghz for CCPM. Interesting products, I'll mention again, I love my Gulang!

chuter1

Interesting DemoUp, Steve just sent me another pic he got fron the Mfg, with yet another set-up. using the two rear holes but with the upright mounted on the other side of the bracket!!!. I don't think they know. Anyway I am flying mine with the last set-up since finding a replacement a-r bracket to modify failed, and giving up on this. Your solution looks good, but like you said before, we shouldn't have to do this and it should fly as advertized without modification.. Good luck.

Demo Up

Thanks, Chuter1, can you please post that pic here? I'd like to see it. It sounds like you're saying they put it the post on the rear side, like I did.

Demo Up

Guys, regarding the Wfly radio, check this one out from Mike down at www.ka-planes.com. Is this the WFly you're speaking of? http://www.ka-planes.com/inc/sdetail/2947